Movie Review – Dredd

Dredd (Karl Urban) is judge, jury and executioner in this adaption of the British comic series 2000 AD. The Judge is accompanied by a psychic, a rookie cop trainee named Anderson (Olivia Thirlby).
Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), a prostitute turned drug-lord is producing the reality-altering Slo-Mo. Ma-Ma takes residence in Peachtrees, a 200-story housing structure, a mega-block. She is feared in Peachtrees.
Dredd and Anderson are called to Peachtrees to respond to a double homicide. The Judges apprehend the murderer, which causes concern for Ma-Ma, as it is her second in charge, Kay (Wood Harris). Ma-ma’s dominance is felt when she locks down the housing facility and turns its inhabitants against the Judges.
What science-fiction films should strive to be. Dredd is full of kick-ass visuals, gritty action, and a very close adaption of its source material. Combine that with Karl Urban’s menacing grin and a harrowing distopian landscape, and you are in sci-fi nirvana.
With a relatively low production budget, Dredd still manages to deliver. Filmed entirely in 3D, there are no post-production filters to degrade the experience. This is especially important as the 3D philosophy was to focus heavily on depth, not just being an added gimmick. Super slow-motion Phantom (+3000 fps) cameras caught an unusual and rewarding effect for scenes involving Slo-Mo drug use. This movie is a gorgeous visual experience.
Disc Features
There are multiple features included with the Dredd Blu-ray. I recommend the 2nd tier Blu-ray price which includes the 3D version of the film along with standard version.
An interesting featurette that will be of interest to those not too familiar with the mythos of Judge Dredd and 2000 AD, is Mega-City Masters: 35 Years of Judge Dredd. This is a rather quick rundown of the creation of the comic series and its run of writers and artists.
Day of Chaos: The Visual Effects of Dredd is another featurette worth viewing. If interested in the technology used to create the visual effects of this film, you may want to give this a try.